Means for administering an anaesthetic



Feb. 12, 1924; 1,433,2s20

C. SPINO LA MEANS FOR ADMINISTERING AN AMSTHETIC Filed Dec. 27. 1921 Halal.

U film/19640 1 Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

umrrn STATES meme CHARLES srrnonn, or vancouvnn, Bnrrrsia COLUMBIA, oanannj MEANS nova amvirms'rname an Aivznsrnnrrc.

Application filed December 27, 1921. Serial No. 525,004.

To all whom it may concern: v:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SPINOLA, citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Means for Administering an Anaesthetic, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for administering ether or the like volatile anaesthetic to a patient, whereby the ether is delivered in an air-diluted condition and at a temperature approximating that of the human body. So administered it is not only comfortable for the patient but the anaesthetic is more favorable in its effect, there is less risk of the patient being over-etherized, and the recovery from its effect is quicker and is accompanied with fewer objectionable after-efi'ects. There is also a material saving in the amount of ether used.

' In the device-which is the subject of this application, air under pressure is delivered through a pipe wherein it is subjected to heat, and this heated air is delivered through a body of liquid ether in a container. The heated air bubbling through the liquid ether volatilizes sufficient of it tosatisfy the requirements of effective etherization of a patient, but to render it more comfortable for the patient the etherized air is again exposed to heat before delivery to the pa- 'tient.

The invention is particularly described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accom panied, in which:

Fig. 1 is more or less diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2, a plan of the same, and

Fig. 3 shows in perspective the coils as applied to a hot water vessel common to both.

In these drawings 2 represents a pipe to which air under pressure is admitted through a valve or stop-cock 3 and this air is passed through a coil 4 in a vessel 5 whiohis charged with hot water. The further end of the coil 4 is connected to a pipe 6, which is inserted in a container 7 charged with liquid ether to deliver the heated air into the lower part of the same.

From the upper part of the ether container 7 a pipe 8 delivers the etherized air through a coil 9 in a vessel 10 which is charged with hot water, and from that coil the etherized air'is delivered through a tube 11 to the cone or mask 12 by which it is delivered to the patient. i

The air admitted through the stop-cock 3 is heated by passage through a coil 4. in the hot water vessel 5 to a suflicient extent only to volatilize the required amount of ether as it bubbles through the liquid ether in the container 7 and that ether vapour and air are further heated by passage through the coil or pipe 9 to a temperature that is comfortably acceptable to the patient.

Emphasis is laid on the fact that the ether is not volatilized by heat applied to the container, but only by the heated air passing through it. The ether volatilizes so readily that Whenheat is applied to the ether container the ether vapour is given off to an extent that is diiiicult to control and there is risk of the patient being over-etherized; whereas by the method described, the amount of etherized air delivered to the patient is under direct control by the stop-cock 3 and is under observation in the visible ascent of the globules of air from the lower end of the pipe '6 in the container 7. i

The apparatus is, for purposes of description, illustrated more or less diagrammatically in Fig. 1. It may be compactly arranged on a tray having receptacles for the vessels 5, 10 and 7 to prevent them being displaced, somewhat as shown in Fig. 2, in which cas the illustration Fig. 1 may be considered as a development of a section on the line 1-1 in Fig. 2.

It will be obvious that in practice a hot water vessel 15, see Fig. 3, may be used in common for both coils 4 and 9, and the ether container 7 have a seat provided for it on the cover of the container.

I am aware that no novelty is displayed in heating the ether vapour before delivery to a patient, but in all cases with which I am acquainted the ether has been volatilized by directly exposing the. liquid ether to heat. Volatilization by such means is difficult to control and frequently more ether is volatilized than is required. It isalso difficult to admit and control the amount of air to mix with the vapour; whereas by my method the amount of air admitted through the stop-cock is a measure of the amount of anaesthetic administered, as the air globules at a certain temperature will volatilize and hold in suspension a definite proportion of ether vapour, and the amount of air passing 7 through the ether is distinctly visible as it rises in air bubbles from the lower end of the pipe 6. r

With this device, the ether is not only administered to the patient in a more satisfactory and effective manner and with considerably less discomfort, both during the administration and during recovery from its effects, but a very considerable economy is experienced in the amount of ether, used.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare that what I-claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is

1. A means tor administering ether, said means comprising a tube, means for deliverin-g air under pressure into the tube, means for heating the tube, a container in which a body of liquid ether is maintained, means delivering the air as heated in the tube below the surface of the ether in the container, means delivering such etherized air alone from the container, and means for heating said air after etherization and before delivery to the patient.

2. A means for administering ether, said means comprising a vessel adapted to hold hot water, a coil of tube in the vessel, means for delivering air under pressure into one end of the 

